Michelle Obama’s Graduation Speech Rescheduled

Michele Obama who was to address the graduating class of Topeka, Kansas on May 17 will now be doing so a day earlier. Owing to seat limitations Michelle’s address has been planned to take place in the venue for the earlier planned ‘senior recognition day’ ceremony.

This also changes the way the schools would hold the ‘senior recognition day’ program. The ceremony was being jointly organized by 5 schools of the Topeka public-school district on May 16. Now it will not be a joint affair anymore. And with the overhanging issue of seats getting limited due to presence of Michelle’s security cover in effect Michelle’s would be rendering a graduation address but not as originally planned. The move is seen as an effort to accommodate maximum parents and students which was earlier posing a challenge and a security issue for the White House.

Michelle was to speak during the combined ceremony of the historic ruling by U.S. Supreme Court where school segregation was outlawed. The case that was originally filed from Topeka 60 years back and was contested between Board of Education and Brown marked an end to school segregation in the country.

Michelle Obama

After Topeka announced Mrs. Obama’s address a furor had erupted since the current seating limitations kept many parents out of the picture. According to her communications director Maria Cristina Gonzalez Noguera Michelle wanted everyone to get the opportunity for and attend the graduation ceremony. The move also came close to heels of a student launching a petition online urging schools of the district to remap the graduation program schedule so that Mrs. Obama’s visit doesn’t limit the guest seating.

Michelle would now be addressing parents of students of the 5 Topeka schools within the 8000-seat area where a joint ceremony was scheduled for May 16. This would also cull concerns over the first lady’s security.